411’s Dragon Gate USA Mercury Rising Review 5.14.10

-Lenny Leonard welcomes us to the PPV by narrating some footage of WARRIORS (CIMA, Dragon Kid and Gamma) and WORLD-1 (BxB Hulk, Naruki Doi and Masato Yoshino) preparing for the big six-man tag team match that will main event the PPV.

-The building looks nice on TV.

Shingo vs. Genki Horiguchi
Shingo vs. Genki Horiguchi kicked off the show, and it was a nice choice to do so. The match told the simple story of Horiguchi using his speed, while Shingo relied on his power. Horiguchi ran wild early, but Shingo’s power game slowed things down, and that allowed Shingo to use his ground game and submissions. Horiguchi would work a nice comeback, but Shingo had worn him down enough to continue his power game and connect with the “Made in Japan” Package Michinoku Driver for the pin. This was a good opening match, one that provided good action, but that also didn’t do too much so that the other matches had a chance to shine.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Shingo via pinRating: ***

-We see a video package, highlighting the feud between Brian Kendrick and Jimmy Jacobs. They smartly cut the Teddy Hart promo, which was said to not make much sense, and stated that Jacobs and Kendrick picked partners in order to try and end the feud in this loser of the fall match. Kendrick picked former tag team partner Paul London, while Jacobs picked Jack Evans, who has Dragon Gate experience.

Loser Of The Fall Leaves DGUSA: Paul London and Brian Kendrick vs. Jimmy Jacobs and Jack Evans
The basic set up of the match was fine, and they built to the proper ending with Kendrick and Jacobs battling it out. But I have to say, I was really disappointed by the match. Again, the basic set up was fine, but the work really lacked and the match didn’t seem to have much flow to it. Not spotty, just, not worked well. In other words, they had the right plan but failed in execution. Also, Paul London was obviously out of ring shape, and it looked like he had a lot of ring rust. It is a shame, I like all four guys involved, but they did not click well on this night. The end saw Jacobs lock in end times on Kendrick for the submission as Evans flew into the ring to stop London from helping his partner. The one thing that was perfect was the end, as they were feuding, and if they had to do the stipulation, Jacobs should have finished Kendrick as he did. They did the match because Kendrick was signing with TNA, and at least they got something out of his leaving with the stipulation match. Although it kind of sucks that they only were able to reunite Londrick one time.

-Highlights from the Fearless PPV air, showing Moxley calling out Tommy Dreamer. Great line, “You made a career out of innovating, but you also made a career out of losing.”

-Dreamer in the ring, a few pounds less than his WWE run and sporting some MMA style gloves now. He thanks the fans, discussed facing Tajiri the night before in Japan and flying back here. He jokes about having some stroke with the booker, and tonight, we’re going to see some No Rules, Anything Goes, Tommy Dreamer “violence.” Crowd popped into “thank you Tommy” chants. Love him or hate him, he is over.

No Rules Match: Tommy Dreamer vs. Jon Moxley
Tommy Dreamer continues his respect the INDIEZ tour with his official in ring debut in Dragon Gate USA. Some have said that the match comes off as very out of place, but that is why I like it, it is different. It’s one thing to have a good meal, but you don’t want every course in the meal to have the same ingredients. Tossing a hardcore match IN THE MIDDLE of the show broke things up, and Dreamer was over with the crowd, so it came off well. They brawled to the floor, Dreamer bladed, they used weapons and we got some run ins, but it worked and in the end, Moxley pins Dreamer with a DDT on the chair. How fitting. Some will love it, some will hate it, in he end it is all personal preference. I liked the change of style on the show, Dreamer worked hard and made it a point to make it about Moxley. Dreamer knows that he isn’t a regular here and that Moxley will be, so he made sure to deliver something that the crowd would like and that would get Moxley over. Yes they did the ECW smoke and mirrors, but in the end Moxley is the winner and looked good, so mission accomplished. FYI, the Tajiri match in Japan was better, not by much, but it was.

WARRIORS (CIMA, Dragon Kid and Gamma) vs. WORLD-1 (BxB Hulk, Naruki Doi and Masato Yoshino)
And so we come to the main event of the PPV, the non-WWE signature of the past few years on WrestleMania weekend, the Dragon Gate Six Man. I know that some will right away say that this is a spotfest and all of that shit, but I disagree. There are technical classics, there are hardcore classics, and these matches are a different category, more of a lightweight exhibition. Nonetheless they are impressive if you like athletic contests, but with the previous years delivering MOTY classics, could they deliver again?

After a great series of very fast exchanges to get the crowd going, and to set the standard of the style, Dragon Kid was first to be isolated. If you like Rey Mysterio back in the day, you’ll like Kid. He’s a faster Rey, but doesn’t have the storytelling that Rey does now, but he’s still growing as a performer. Kid selling is improving, and this was a good heat segment. Warriors would fight back, and hit some sweet moves including a move where CIMA and Gamma tossed Kid into a cool dropkick and later when Kid hit a REVERSE DOOMSDAY RANA. Later, Kid then hit a springboard Dragon Rana on Hulk, which got a CLOSE near fall and the crowd BOUGHT it big time.

Great finish to the match as Yoshino had Gamma locked in an arm submission. Dragon Kid tried to break it up, but Doi fought him away. CIMA then tries to break it up, but BxB Hulk hit a sweet springboard dropkick to stop that. The ref finally called for the bell as Gamma passed out due to the pain. This was an excellent match, and a ton of fun. The only criticism was that it gets into that “too much shit” category a little bit, and that took away a little bit.

-The show closes with John Moxley announcing that Himself, Shingo and YAMATO would now be known as Kamikaze USA.

MY TAKE ON THE SHOW

Overall another good show from Dragon Gate USA. The semi-main event and main event were worth my $19.95 alone. The opener was a good match, Dreamer vs. Moxley was a good, and different style match that added to the show and the reveal by Moxley to close the show. The loser leaves bout lacked to me, but it was far from horrible, more disappointing.

The one big disappointment show was that there was no continuation of the DGUSA vs. CHIKARA angle they seemed to have been building too. That has been a good part of the shows, and something that linked them all together, and that just wasn’t here this time.

In the end this is a big thumbs up with a MOTY candidate to close things out. If you are sick of spending money on TNA or WWE PPV, if you are sick of bullshit on PPV, too many matches and the like and you want something different, go ahead and try Dragon Gate USA at least once.